As for the handling I would upgrade the shock, springs, and tires depending if it has not been done yet. For exhaust you can go to your nearest auto zone or napa and they have a dual exhaust kit for your car which will give you a little more power and fuel milage. As for the trans. not quite sure but you might need a TV cable adjustment. Also a little advice to prolong the life of the trans. while driving 0-55 MPH I would drive in D and 55 plus I would drive in OD.

As for the inline 6, a very wise man once said, "You can put anything into anything if you have a big enough hammer." My question would be, why do you want to change to a six? I'm not necessarily saying it's a bad idea, but I'm just wondering what your intentions are.

And the seatbelts, well, tell us. What is it that's wrong with them? Are they not retracting when you release them? If so, they're probably just stiff and need to be lubricated. If it's a different problem, you'll have to provide more details.

Why a six for an 8? Gas mileage, and I just want something more unique- but the 302 v8 is fine for now I guess. It just seems like a big waste of 5 liters- and I feel as if I can capitalize more with a v-6, but then again, Ford has no decent v6's that I know of.

The seatbelts just wont catch- if pull really hard and fast, well they just come right on out. Very dangerous.

What can I do to improve MPG-?

I just got the brakes bleed, coolant replaced, oil change, tranny flush and the fuel system flushed as well.

My buddy was telling me to replace the MAF and Air filter.

I just want a dependable car, good gas mileage, and the ability to drive with some oomph under the hood.

Time to go check the 302 forums- that is the engine right? efi 5.0 liter.

If you want a six cylinder, a V6 is probably the way to go since there are more readily available modern versions of V6s than of inline sixes. Most inline sixes you will find are carbureted and don't have engine management systems on them. For this reason, it's debatable whether you would see a significant improvement in mileage with a straight six.

With a V6, however, you'll have no problem finding one that is fuel injected and has the management systems that will provide you with better fuel mileage. Why do you say that Ford has no decent V6s? The 3.8L Mustang V6 ought to be a very good engine for your application.

That said, however, it would still be a major undertaking engineering-wise, and you have to decide whether it is really worth it to you to do all that work and spend all that money for the sake of a few miles per gallon. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it's not something I would just leap into.

Of course, you also have the option of making upgrades to the V8 to increase its efficiency. You may see a significant gain in mileage and power, and it would be MUCH less complex than putting in an engine that was not originally intended to be there.

Also you do not have a MAF sensor. And if you want a little more power then I would grab some parts off of a mustang or mark7 and put them on your engine, You can get these parts really cheap at a juckyard. Or if you want to put the power you are making now with your stock engine to the ground I would think about upgrading the gears and puting in a posi. Also a shift kit does not hurt either.

The shoulder seatbelts work on track with a ball bearing that rolls and locks the belts when the vehicle is under hard breaking .So, when working correctly it won't lock just by pulling hard and fast.You can, take the B-Pillar post covering off and make sure that it is not stuck in the unlock position by lubricating the mechanism.

A V6, eh? Any fuel economy you might save from having two less cylinders will be out the window when you put it into the 'Vic which weighs well over 5000 pounds (My '85 weighs in close to 5500 pounds). It'll be working way too hard, and may not get you up the hills. The harder an engine has to work, the more fuel it'll burn.

The 302 (5.0litre) you have now may not be a power monger, but it has plenty of torque. You'll be hard-pressed finding a stock V6 that comes anywhere close.

Lastly, if the engineers at Ford felt that a V6 would be capable of hauling around such a car, they would have offered it. The 80s were a time when everyone was opting out of large cars that had 8 cylinder engines, in favour for 6 & 4 cylinder powered cars. These cars were considerably smaller than the 'Vic. My point is, the Crown Vic was never meant to be an "economy" car. Those who purchased it were people who still wanted a large car, and could care less about fuel economy (actually, the fuel economy for the 'Vic is pretty good). You'd need a large 6 out of a truck to be able to power the Crown Vic. But again, you won't realize big fuel savings because of the size of the engine you'll need to use.

The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.

AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.